Horse of the Month - Ivan

I'm finally getting to the horse of the month. How to sum up Ivan in one word....goofy. I'm not sure if it's a thoroughbred thing or if it's an Ivan thing. But he's just goofy. If I were to sum Ivan up in two words, it would be goofy and S.L.O.W. When everyone else is galloping, Ivan is trotting. When everyone else is trotting, Ivan is walking. When everyone else is moseying around, Ivan is standing still. I think Ivan's past time is to just chill.

 

Although Ivan IS a bully when it comes to pushing Bo around, much to my dismay. I can see a glint in his eyes when it's feeding time and he knows he can push Bo around (don't worry I put out multiple piles so no one goes without).

 

 



We don't really know too much about Ivan's past. He came from somewhere in Iowa. We do know that he was never races. It's pretty obvious by is slow demeanor but there's no tattoo so he's never been raced.  I don't think Ivan would have the heart to do anything but be a pasture puff.  And that's exactly what Ivan is. He needs a refresher before we start hitting the trails. So for now, Ivan is enjoying the easy life.

Ivan is best friends with Brego. Where one goes, the other follows. Those to are inseparable, until they have a fight. Then it's very obvious that they had a disagreement because they aren't standing next to each other.  But usually something brings them back together and then they become "one" again. In fact, when it's feeding time and I let Brego in to the barn for his evening grain (Ivan stays out), Ivan seems almost lost without Brego.

Ivan is such a joy to have at the Sanctuary. We are truly blessed to have him in our herd. I am hoping this summer that we'll have the money to send him to a trainer for a quick refresher so he can start hitting the trails. I'm not sure Ivan would appreciate the extra work.

Ivan reminds me a lot of my very first horse, Tiny Dictator. Dictator was a quarter horse with a thoroughbred build. The only difference is that Ivan is all black/brown and only has a small patch of white on his right hind foot. You can barely see the small patch of white if you just glance at him. Some days I'll look out into the pasture and mistake Ivan for Dictator. It's nice to know that Ivan is in our pasture, happy and fat.

These last three pictures are from when we were considering bringing Ivan into the Sanctuary. He changes colors based on the time of year. Right now, he's sporting a fuzzy coat that shows off his black legs. His black leg markings come and go throughout the seasons. I'm so very glad to have Ivan at the Sanctuary.

 

If you would like to sponsor Ivan, please let us know. Ivan is an easy keeper and doesn't require any supplements (one of few at the Sanctuary!)